Executive Has No Plan To Solve Housing Crisis – SDLP

The Executive has been accused of having no plan to solve the current housing crisis.

SDLP Opposition Housing Spokesperson Daniel McCrossan made the accusation after reports the social housing waiting list has soared to over 47,000 people.

Mr McCrossan said the problem would only get worse in the years ahead.

West Tyrone MLA Mr McCrossan said: "It has been clear for some time that we are dealing a serious housing crisis in the North and the failure to respond to these warning signs have left us in a position where things are getting continually worse and no action is being taken to address it.

"Over the past few years Housing Executive applications have continually increased, without the necessary homes being built to get people off these waiting lists. I have routinely heard stories of families being forced to live in overcrowded housing, people left living on a friend's sofa or being forced out of their local community because housing simply isn't available. "This is not strictly a Housing Executive issue, we have also seen huge increases in the cost of deposits to buy a home and rents have also soared across the North, with reports of scores of people bidding every time a property becomes available. It's not an exaggeration to say that home ownership has become a pipe dream for a generation of young people.

"We will not be able to house over 47,000 people overnight, but we can no longer stand by while the situation deteriorates further. The Communities Minister needs to work with the Housing Executive and empower them to embark on an ambitious house building programme to get people off waiting lists now and in the future. The department has already confirmed that they will only be able to start building a maximum of 400 social housing units this year. It marks a sharp decline from previous years, which were also inadequate. At this rate of building, it will take 250 years to hit the 100,000 home target announced by the previous Minister in her housing strategy.

"We also need to look at other creative options like a vacant land tax to stop land banking and punish those who buy up sites and leave them dormant, while also looking at how we address the many properties currently lying empty across the North. Housing is one of the most serious challenges facing the Executive and how it responds will determine the housing situation in the North for generations to come."